


TO BE A SKYWALKER

by crispmarshmallow



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Anakin is a mess without Kenobi and that is just facts, Anakin needs to chill, F/M, Gen, Includes Elements from both Legends and Disney Canon, Padmé is a badass (as if there was any doubt), What Could Have Been
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:48:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23394283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crispmarshmallow/pseuds/crispmarshmallow
Summary: Wary of Chancellor Palpatine's influence over his former apprentice, High Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi takes Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker with him on his mission to Utapau. Little does Kenobi know that his decision changed the fate of millions of beings in the galaxy. Chapter 1: Good Soldiers Follow Orders
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 28
Kudos: 138





	1. Good Soldiers Follow Orders

**Author's Note:**

> With the self-quarantining, I've found myself with plenty of time to spare. I had this Star Wars fanfiction idea in my head for weeks, and I've finally decided to do something with it. I won't be following canon religiously in this fic, and I may slightly alter some events that took place in the Clone Wars. Those changes will be clear as we progress through the story. I'll incorporate elements from both Legends and Disney's Canon. It's kind of a take on the story had Anakin not turned. It would be most kind if you overlooked any grammatical errors (I will try my best to ensure they are to the minimum). I hope you stay with me until the end. Don't forget to subscribe and review!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. If only I did :( .. I also do not own the Cover Art of this fanfiction.
> 
> Enjoy!

** CHAPTER 1: GOOD SOLDIERS FOLLOW ORDERS **

_"What I remember about the rise of the Empire... is how quiet it was." -501st Journal_

Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine overlooked the Coruscanti skyline through the shattered window of his office. His long robes were billowing behind him in the breeze. Though the Sun had set for some time now, there was no shortage of citizens of the capital of the Galactic Republic populating the horizon. Numerous ships and speeders flew by his viewpoint, rushing about their day. Desperate to get home or to something of the sort. It would look no different at any other time, even past midnight. Coruscant did not sleep. Not even the recent attack on the planet had deterred its people. As of the moment, they did not know that the perpetrator of the assault had been defeated. Palpatine had taken care of that. He needed precious time, lest the Senate, like the Jedi Council, demand he immediately relinquish his hold on his emergency powers.

Palpatine briefly wondered how his plan would immediately affect the lives of the capital's citizens. Would it finally result in a pause in the lives of the Coruscanti? He would find out soon enough. All those species in those clusters of vehicles were painfully unaware of what was to come. They had not a clue that the galaxy would change that night. That the Clone Wars would finally find its end. That the Jedi Order would cease to exist. And the Sith would rule once again.

Palpatine's deep yellow eyes found the massive structure that served as the headquarters of the Jedi. It loomed over the buildings that surrounded it. The Jedi that resided within, sparse as it was with the majority of the members deployed around the galaxy, also were unaware of their imminent eradication. The 501st legion was on its way to the Temple at the very moment. Hundreds of elite clone troopers, having no choice but, would storm its grounds.

The Sith Lord had personally overseen the commissioning of the Five Hundred and First. He had ensured that its troops were given special training. He had assigned them to Anakin Skywalker for the very reason. He had hoped that the legion would continue to serve under him in the advent of Palpatine's New Order. Disappointingly, the powerful Jedi Knight was absent among its ranks on the fateful night.

Palpatine's plans had proceeded without a hitch. He momentarily admired how intricate and ingenious his plan was. Everything was in its place. Everything, but Skywalker. The young man was supposed to be on-world, within his clutches by now. But Kenobi had taken him to Utapau to eliminate General Grevious. Palpatine had strived to guarantee otherwise. He had volunteered Anakin's name for the mission, knowing that the Jedi Council would do otherwise out of mistrust and spite. He had almost got his way. Until Kenobi interfered.

The High Jedi General had insisted that Skywalker accompany him to the Outer Rim. He had argued for his former apprentice till the Council relented. It was a rare public show of affection and stark loyalty on his behalf. It had ruined the pinnacle of Palpatine's plan. Rage seeped into Palpatine's veins as he remembered that the supposed Chosen One was yet to become his Sith apprentice. Skywalker was the key to much that he desired. To the great power, he did not wield. He let the rage simmer, channelling it so that he could immerse himself in the immense dark energy of the Force. Skywalker would return. For his lovely pregnant wife, if for nothing else.

Palpatine turned away from the window to his office that was cluttered with shards of glass, broken pieces of furniture and antiques, and the bodies of three Jedi Masters. He stepped over the Jedi weapon of the late Master Mace Windu, whose body now lay in depths of the Coruscanti low levels. It had been no easy feat to defeat the skilled, there was simply no denying it, duelist. It had been decades since Palpatine had enjoyed such an intense duel. He pulled the hood of his dark robes farther down his face, trying to hide his disfigured face.

He made his way to his holoprojector. There was still much to be done. The 501st had likely reached its destination and had begun fulfilling its objective. Now, it was time for their clone brothers to do the same. He pushed the buttons on the device, and a miniature-sized, blue version of Commander Cody appeared before him. Palpatine smiled a sinister thing that would likely be obscured to Cody's view by his hood.

"Commander Cody, the time has come." He spoke the words that all his work in the last decades had culminated into, "Execute Order 66."

* * *

Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker ran his lightsaber through the torso of a B1 battle droid and slashed the head off another. Sweat trickled down his forehead as he moved on to the next cluster of battle droids. The victory was all but assured for the Republic forces. Obi-Wan had successfully dealt with General Grevious and the number of Separatist forces was quickly waning. The battle was theirs for the taking and the whole of the war with it. Three years of destruction and bloodshed would finally find its end.

And yet, the victory felt hollow to Anakin. He continued to cut his way through the clankers. His pattern of movements was almost mechanical and did not require much thought. He had been doing this for the entirety of the Clone Wars. Slashing down droid after droid. Dedicating his life for victory after victory for the Jedi and Republic. Anakin usually thrived in battles and victories made all he sacrificed to achieved said victories worth it. So he couldn't help but wonder why this grand victory felt more like a defeat. He wiped the sweat sticking to his forehead with the back of his hand, and tried to compose himself without becoming vulnerable for enemy fire.

"General Skywalker." Anakin tilted his head to the right, in the direction of the clone trooper who had addressed him. "General Skywalker, are you alright?" He cursed under his breath when he realized that he was breathing heavily and his unease was showing on the outside. Something wasn't right. Anakin could feel it in the Force, he just didn't have the time or the luxury to meditate upon it at the moment.

He nodded as he used the Force to push a handful of droids off the edge of the platform that the habitations on the planet Utapau were populated with. "Never been better, trooper." He turned to look at the man, forcing a grin upon his face. "Let's finish off these clankers once and for all, shall we?" Anakin began fighting with a renewed vigour for the sake of the men who followed him. The droid numbers were rapidly falling on his front of the battle.

Anakin decided that his men could handle this part and that he would join the fronts where he would be more of use. A gunship flew towards their platform, deploying more clone troopers, effectively surrounding the Separatist forces. Anakin leapt over the increasingly sparse number of battle droids, enhancing his jump with the Force to land near the gunship. He easily blocked the blaster fire that the enemy shot at him with his lightsaber.

"You'll take it from here, trooper?" He shouted over the blaster fire at a clone who had exited the gunship. He moved to replace him on the hovering vehicle. The soldier in question saluted him, "Yes, Sir. We will secure the area." Anakin nodded at him gratefully. He moved on to address the pilot of the gunship. "Let's go."

"Right away, Sir."

Anakin surveyed the battle from above. The fighting was still going on, but he knew that it would soon cease. The exchanging of blaster fire was more intense on the higher levels. They needed to start focusing on those parts. "Take me to Commander Cody's position." He heard the pilot retrieving Cody's coordinates over the comm. He used the time to reached out in the Force, locating Obi-Wan. The uneasy feeling was yet to fade away, and Anakin wanted to make sure his friend was alright. Anakin found Obi-Wan not far from them, apparently in the direction the gunship he was in was headed to. His former master's Force presence did not appear weak or injured, to his relief.

The pilot landed the ship a few yards from Cody's position beside an AT-TE. Obi-Wan, seated upon a huge lizard-like creature was talking to him. Anakin made his way towards them and watched as Cody handed Obi-Wan his lightsaber. Anakin suppressed a chuckle at the implication. _This weapon is your life, Anakin._ Obi-Wan was rather fond of reminding him of that. Well, it would appear Obi-Wan forgot his teachings this fine day. His master seemed to not notice him approaching for after dispensing his orders to Cody he made his way to the higher levels.

Immediately, Anakin felt a great disturbance in the Force. He slowed his pace, his vision blurred as he tried to steady himself. The bad feeling he had been experiencing throughout the battle intensified what felt to be by a thousand times. He began running to Cody, stumbling over debris. He saw the clone commander receive a transmission. Anakin's stomach twisted in horror as he watched Cody directed the AT-TE to focus fire on Obi-Wan, who was on a narrow ledge. Anakin shouted as the blast toppled Obi-Wan off the creature he was riding. He watched as the two made a fall into the deep pit that the dwellings of the Utapau population circled. The chances of surviving such a fall were slim.

 _No. No. NO!_ The single word was the only thing that ran through Anakin's head. Nothing else registered in his mind. Nothing else made sense.

He turned to Cody, Obi-Wan's second-in-command who just betrayed him for no apparent reason. Anakin ignited his lightsaber with a snap-hiss and raised his hand murderously as he approached the traitor. Cody noticed him a moment too late, he lifted the man off his feet using the force, clenching his fist. He watched with pure rage and a sick sort of satisfaction as Cody struggled to breathe under his grasp. The feeling calmed him. Distracted him as the feeling of dread and betrayal echoed through the Force. He couldn't even tell if it was his feeling alone anymore. He tried to reach out into the Force and see if Obi-Wan survived, but he couldn't concentrate.

The clones around Cody aimed their blasters at Anakin, but he paid them no mind. He focused on the man before him. "You shot down Obi-Wan." Anakin snarled. He made no attempt to tamp down the anger that exploded within him as he heard his own words.

Cody struggled to speak and Anakin loosened his invisible grip. "We had orders, Sir."

"Orders?" Anakin bellowed as he raised his lightsaber, placing it a few inches away from the man's heart. There had been rogue clone troopers before, but none had acted so blatantly before. Nor were they ever support by their brothers. Cody nodded, his gaze not wavering from that of Anakin. If Anakin was not wrong, he detected a minuscule of horror in them. Or guilt. He couldn't tell, nor did he care to try and decipher it. A traitor was a traitor. And he had fired on Obi-Wan.

"From the Chancellor, Sir."

"The Chancellor?" Anakin regarded Cody incredulously, "You expect me to believe that." He noticed that many of the surrounding clones were trying to decide a course of action. Unsure who to strike. Anakin or Cody?

"Orders are orders, Sir." Cody elaborated, the effort to get the words were taking a toll on him. He responded almost robotically as though they were not his own words. Anakin scoffed at the commander, but did not interrupt him as he continued, "Order 66, eradication of the Jedi, is no different."

Now, Anakin struggled to breathe, to comprehend what was being said. Eradication of the Jedi? Ordered by the Chancellor? By Palpatine? No, Cody had to be wrong.

"You served under Obi-Wan for years," Anakin said quietly. It had to be a lie. It had to be. "He was your friend."

"Good soldiers follow orders."

He stumbled back, releasing his grip on Cody, as something registered in Anakin's mind. It hit him, robbing him of his breath. Cody gasped for air as he fell on the ground. He slowly got up, rubbing his neck. He stared at Anakin, unsure of what to do. He must have decided to put the moment behind him as directed his troops to move onto the higher levels. As though Anakin hadn't been inches away from killing him, he went on to carry out _Obi-Wan's_ orders.

 _Good soldiers follow orders._ Tup had said the same thing when he had turned on Jedi Tiplar and later attacked her sister, Jedi Tiplee. Anakin did not pay attention as Cody conducted the movement of his troops. He didn't even know what to do. He buried his head in his hands as he remembered. He barely registered the tears that were streaming down his face as the betrayal continued to ripple through the Force. This time he knew that it was not his own betrayal that he was feeling. At least, not just his own.

Fives had warned them of a plot to kill the Jedi. Of an inhibitor chip in the clones to make them do whatever a certain someone wants. A plan the Chancellor had been in on. Anakin had dismissed it. So had everyone else. It started to make some sort of sense. Sort of.

_Why, but why?_

Palpatine could not be behind this. Behind the clone betrayal. He was Anakin's friend. Anakin had _trusted_ him. Defended him when the Council wanted him to spy on him. There was no other explanation though. Cody would not have betrayed Obi-Wan otherwise. Fives must have been right in the end. Anakin lifted his head and turned around to stare into the pit Obi-Wan had fallen into. If the Chancellor had implemented the orders on Utapau, it had been implemented elsewhere as well. He struggled to wrap his head around the implications. The betrayal of the clones and Palpatine.

Why would Palpatine wish to get rid of the Jedi? They had their disagreements. True. But, total eradication? That was extreme. Palpatine simply was not capable of such an act. He had been his _friend._ Rage bubbled through Anakin once more. He needed to do something. Anything. He knew he had to. But, for once in Anakin's life he put much thought in his plan before he acted. He had to check on Obi-Wan without the clones noticing. He had to get off the planet and try to warn those he could. He was desperately forming a plan in his head when he realized something, He whipped his head in Cody's direction. Cody and his men ignored his presence as they moved up to finish off the battle with the Separatists. Anakin stared at them, puzzled. Their orders were to kill _all_ Jedi.

They _weren't_ shooting at _him_


	2. Escape Off Utapau

_I told you everything you needed to know on Genosis all those years ago, Kenobi." -Count Dooku. 'The Lost Ones', The Clone Wars TV Series._

Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi couldn't help but curse his luck as he climbed the rough rock surface that circled the sinkholes that populated Utapau. Not that an accomplished Jedi as himself believed in such a ludicrous concept as luck, but he cursed it all the same.

Obi-Wan was far from being a naive man. He had seen many of the horrors that the galaxy was capable of. Had experienced more than his fair share of them. He knew that the horrors would never cease to exist, but he had hoped with the end of the war, some sort of calm would have prevailed throughout the galaxy. In his own turbulent life.

Alas, maybe that had been too much to ask for.

Master Windu's suspicions of a plot to destroy the Jedi had been confirmed. As of now, Obi-Wan had an idea of who was behind it and why. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. And the more nauseous he felt. He had to put a pause in his efforts to climb the rock wall, desperately trying to gain some sort of control over himself as he considered the information he had gathered. He wiped the sweat on his brow and tried to discipline his heartbeat. He opened himself to the Force, pouring the tsunami of emotions that were hitting him into it. It helped tremendously in calming himself down, but he knew that the effect would be temporary.

He continued his ascent but failed to stop the thoughts that kept coming. The Council had been right in distrusting Palpatine. Obi-Wan knew without a doubt that the Chancellor was behind the betrayal. No one else could command the clones to turn against their generals. He recalled Anakin's report of the ARC Trooper Fives' accusations against Palpatine. It only served to reinforce the authenticity of Obi-Wan's speculations. They had been fools to dismiss the accusations without the slightest investigation.

That was the least disturbing of thoughts. It hit Obi-Wan that Dooku had likely been telling the truth when he had told him of the Sith on Genosis. The truth about a Sith Lord controlling the Senate and the Republic.

 _Fools._ Obi-Wan screamed in his head. _They had been arrogant fools._

Palpatine was Darth Sidious. The Jedi essentially had been serving their mortal enemy for over a decade.

Yet, that was not what disturbed Obi-Wan the most. What did unsettled him the most was the keen interest Palpatine had had in his former apprentice. The amount of influence he had over Anakin. It was not difficult to figure out what Sidious had wanted from him.

Obi-Wan shuddered at the thought of what would have happened had he not possessed the foresight to bring Anakin with him to Utapau. Ironically, he had done it out of mistrust for Palpatine, though he had not dreamt that the man would have turned out to be a Sith Lord.

Palpatine had not let go of his ambitions when it came to Anakin, of that Obi-Wan was sure, at least if the clones' lack of reaction towards him was anything to go by.

Once Obi-Wan made it to the platforms, he discreetly made his way around. Hiding behind walls and rubble left from the fighting. The battle was over, the clones had begun packing up. He followed the bright beacon that was Anakin's Force presence. His former padawan was aware of his survival, having conveyed it through their Force bond. Anakin, on the other hand, had used their bond to urged him to be patient. Obi-Wan was surprised that Anakin even knew what that word meant.

He hid behind a wall as he surveyed the platform which he knew Anakin was present on. With a pang of sadness, he noticed Cody was there too. The Commander had served faithfully at Obi-Wan side throughout the war, and though he was aware it was not by choice, Cody's betrayal did hurt.

He shook his head, such thoughts did not befit a Jedi. He went back to examining the platform. Anakin, accompanied by Cody and a squad, was on his way to board a gunship. His hands were not bound, nor was his weapon confiscated. Anakin did not look troubled, as if anything was out of the ordinary. His expression radiated calmness.

However, his Force presence was another story. Obi-Wan could sense the war of emotions inside his former padawan - betrayal, anger, grief, uncertainty. Dangerous emotions for a Jedi. Obi-Wan could not do anything but watch as Anakin boarded the gunship. Entering the fray would only endanger his and Anakin's lives.

Anakin's gaze whipped in Obi-Wan's direction, probably sensing his presence. Their eyes met briefly, and Obi-Wan could feel waves of assurance being sent his way in the Force. He swallowed and answered with trust. He would have to escape on his own and trust Anakin to follow.

There wasn't much else he could do as the gunship took off towards the skies.

* * *

Anakin could feel the stares of the officers on the bridge of the _Vigilance_ boring into his back. He could sense their unease and distrust in his presence. He paid no attention to them though, he had his eyes fixed on the viewport, watching as the mass of vessels from Utapau made their way to the _Venator_ -class Star Destroyer. He studied each one of them, spreading his Force awareness, trying to determine if Obi-Wan had hijacked any of them. He willed that his friend would hurry up so that Anakin could make his move. Once the _Vigilance_ was completely boarded, Cody would be setting a course to Coruscant. He had to make his escape before that.

He crossed his arms over his chest, clutching his comm tightly, as he watched a ship that he was almost sure was not of Republican origin appear on the viewport. He held his breath as he checked for Obi-Wan's Force signature, and he was not disappointed. Anakin heard murmurings from the officers and cursed as he realized Obi-Wan chose the most conspicuous ship that he could have found. The _Soulless One_ had belonged to Grievous and was sure to garner attention.

He urgently thumbed a button on his comm as an officer turned to Cody, "Commander, the _Soulless One_ has appeared on our sensors."

Anakin watched through the corners of his eyes as Cody's fell on the starfighter in the viewport.

"Kenobi." Cody almost snarled in irritation, Anakin felt a pang of loss as he watched the Commander watch the _Soulless One_ with something akin to hatred. "Aim all fire on that vessel. Send out fighters. Now." The command was followed by an explosion and the bridge trembled. Anakin, having expected it, steeled himself and watched as Cody and the rest tried to determine the source of the explosion.

By the time Cody's gaze fell upon him, Anakin already had his lightsaber in hand and his lips were curled up in a smirk. The Commander raised his blaster, but Anakin was faster. He ignited his lightsaber with a _snap-hiss_ and easily parried the fire that Cody shot his way. He felt a sort of satisfaction as Cody's eyes widened momentarily in fear as he approached him. He lifted his blade and brought it down through his shoulder blade.

He didn't pause as Cody's body collapsed onto the ground. He was too busy blocking the fire that came from the officers. He sent the blaster blots right back at them while he edged towards the exit. The blast doors opened for him and he ran down the corridors, keeping any fire from coming too near to him. The alarms were blaring and the halls were lit up with flashing red light as a result of the explosion of the hyperdrive that Artoo set up.

He chose the long way towards the hanger in hopes that he would meet with minimal resistance. He did not hesitate to strike down his former comrades. He had cared for them, but they were now the enemy. He needed to get off the cruiser and aid Obi-Wan, who he knew was engaged with Republican starfighters. The death of the clones was regrettable, though unavoidable.

He brought his comm to his mouth, "Artoo, prepare for taking off. I'm almost at the hanger."

He didn't wait for a reply as he watched the blast doors to the hanger bay shut. He drove his blade into it, working hard to make a circle in them for him to escape. The process did not go as fast he Anakin would have liked. The faint sound of footsteps could be heard from behind.

A squad of clones appeared as he neared the end. With the unavailability of his lightsaber, he used the Force to pick up a clone off his feet and yanked him forward in front of him so that the blaster fire aimed at Anakin would hit him. He grabbed his lightsaber and threw the now dead clone at his brothers, followed by the circular portion he had cut out. He ran into the hanger and caught sight of his yellow starfighter.

Clones were pouring in him from multiple doors, Anakin immersed himself into the Force. Drawing on its power to block the fire that was rapidly coming his way. He hissed in pain as a bolt hit his shoulder and then his thigh. He used the Force to throw blocks of debris at the clones, desperately trying to make it to his fighter.

To his luck, Artoo joined the fray.

Taking control of the guns of his starfighter, Anakin's trusted companion started firing at the clones that kept spilling into the hanger. With the reduced amount of blasters pointed at him, Anakin was finally able to leap into his cockpit. He started up the engine, continuing to concentrate fire on the clones as he steered his fighter towards the exit.

"Time to get out of here, Artoo."

He departed the hanger, leaving one firefight for another. He advanced towards Obi-Wan's position, who was admirably holding his own against a squadron that had been reduced to a mere five fighters.

"Artoo, tap into the emergency Jedi channel."

Anakin pulled up behind the fighters that were attacking Obi-Wan and pressed his thumb on the trigger. He took them out without much effort with the help of Obi-Wan. Luckily, Obi-Wan was tuned into the same channel that Artoo had tapped into. Obi-Wan's voice blared from the speakers.

"Anakin, we have to get out of here immediately." His voice sounded urgent and drained. It wasn't unexpected, but it still upset Anakin.

"My thoughts exactly, Master."

"I'm sending Artoo a set of coordinates. Prepare to jump into hyperspace." More fighters were appearing on Anakin's sensors. He accepted the coordinates of the rendezvous point from Artoo. The time for the answers for Anakin's numerous questions was near. On Obi-Wan's mark, he pulled the controls.

And master and apprentice were gone.


	3. A Legacy Of Ignorance

_"The legacy of the Jedi is failure. Hypocrisy. Hubris."-Luke Skywalker to Rey. The Last Jedi.*_

Once Anakin and Obi-Wan were within the temporary sanctuary that the _Tantive IV_ was serving as at the moment, it was easier to reflect upon the chain of events that had been sprung upon them. It was a lot to take in, particularly when Master Yoda and Senator Organa volunteered the information they were in possession of.

The Jedi Order, for all intents and purposes, was no more. As far as they were aware, what was left of it sat in the conference room that they were in. They sat in silence, the four of them. One did not need the Force to sense the grief in the room. Obi-Wan sat across Anakin, his eyes trained on the table before them. Yoda's eyes were closed in what Anakin assumed to be meditation. Bail Organa was swiping through a datapad, trying to get his hand on any information whatsoever.

Anakin sunk deeper into his chair and stared up at the white ceiling. He ran a hand through his unruly hair and suppressed a sigh. It was hard to miss that his companions were mourning the loss of the Order. And that was what bothered him, they were mourning, and Anakin couldn't find it in himself to do so.

He didn't mourn the loss of the institution that had lost sight of its true purpose. That had let corruption and slavery grow rampant throughout the galaxy. He couldn't find it in himself to mourn for the Order that made him abandon his mother to her death. Turned their backs on Ahsoka without hesitation. Demanded he ignore his love for his wife.

Anakin found that he possessed no grief for the loss of the institution that he served for thirteen years. One that dismissed his service and loyalty in arrogance.

He did not mourn its loss. Nor did he feel any joy. All he felt was... hollow. Nothing. And it scared him.

He worked to build a barrier around his Force presence in an attempt to hide his inner conflict from Yoda and Obi-Wan. Anakin wondered when he had become truly disillusioned towards the Order. Had it been when they did nothing for the slaves on Tatooine? Was when his mother died? Fell in love with Padme? Or had it just faded away slowly?

"How could we have missed it?" Anakin's eyes snapped away from the ceiling and onto Obi-Wan who had finally spoken after relaying his version of the events on Utapau. His voice was hoarse and tired, but if Anakin wasn't wrong he heard an undertone of anger.

Yoda slowly opened his eyes while Bail put down his datapad. "Blinded to Palpatine's intentions we were. To who he truly was." The Grandmaster's voice too was tired.

"How?!" Anakin was taken aback by the frustration that was seeping into Obi-Wan's demeanor. It was not often Obi-Wan lost his calm. "How could a thousand Jedi miss a single Sith who made no effort whatsoever to hide from our sights?"

Anakin regarded Obi-Wan in confusion. _Sith Lord?_ He had a feeling that he was missing something that both Obi-Wan and Yoda were well aware of. The Sith had nothing to do with the eradication of the Jedi, loathe he was to admit it but it was Palpatine who had ordered it.

_Oh.. Oh._

Palpatine was the Sith Lord they had been looking for, his stomach sank in realization. Anakin wondered why it took so long for him to come up with it. He ignored the conversation going on between Yoda and Obi-Wan, his eyes strayed to the ceiling once more as he considered the revelation.

He wondered if that was why the clones had not turned on him, because he had been a close friend of the Chancellor. The thought brought some sort of comfort to him. Maybe their friendship had not been an entire farce. He just didn't know what to do with the information.

Sith were the enemies of the Jedi and yet.

Anakin understood Obi-Wan exasperation. The Jedi had been serving a Sith Lord and hadn't even noticed. He had always believed that the arrogance of the Council would be their downfall. Once again he was proved correct. He had been disillusioned to the ideals of the Jedi Order for some time, true, but Anakin had had a sort of respect for it. He had.

Now Anakin stared at what was left of it, and wondered did they not deserve this for the failure. Didn't he deserve it for not seeing it sooner?

Palpatine had had an odd knowledge of Sith legends.

_The Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise._

A Sith who had the power to save others and was killed by his apprentice. He had a feeling that the apprentice had been Palpatine. Anakin shut his eyes as he realized what Palpatine had been trying to do. Why he saw fit to make a risky move of divulging such information to him.

Anakin's stomach twisted as he remembered killing Count Dooku. What a fool he had been.

So much for friendship.

Yet, Anakin's mind strayed in a different direction. A dangerous direction as he remembered Palpatine's words. Regardless of Palpatine's manipulations, what if the Chancellor truly did wield such power? Anakin knew what the price would be, but wouldn't it be worth it? The Jedi were no more. Would it matter if he renounced his place in an Order that no longer existed?

Anakin opened his eyes to Obi-Wan regarding him with worry, and he felt a wave of shame wash over him. How could he have considered such a thought? He couldn't do that Obi-Wan, who had shown unwavering trust in him recently. Going as far as fighting the Council for him. He owed it to Obi-Wan. To Qui-Gon. And the few that truly believed in him.

Anakin pushed his poisonous musings into the back of his mind and decided to focus on the matter on hand. There was much he had to do.

"We must return to Coruscant." He spoke up, at last, interrupting the conversation between the two Jedi Masters. Bail Organa and Yoda's eyes whipped towards his direction.

Obi-Wan sat back in his chair, stroking his beard as he considered Anakin's preposition, "That would be the wisest course of action. We must disable the beacon that recalls all Jedi back to Coruscant." Yoda nodded his head in agreement, and Bail Organa raised no objections.

Anakin's reasons were different from Obi-Wan's. Palpatine knew he was the father of the child that Padme carried. No doubt, the child would be powerful in the Force, and Anakin would not let the dark side corrupt his child. That was out of the question.

He, on the other hand, was another matter.

* * *

_She was screaming for him. Her forehead was covered with a sheen of sweat and tears were cascading down her cheeks. She was begging for him to stop the pain. Her screams turned into broken sobs and slowly those became simply silent cries for help. In the end, her body gave in, exhausted and worn, eyes shut._

Anakin woke up with a start. His neck ached due to the awkward position he had been sleeping in, in the cockpit of the Tantive IV. He tried to slow his heart rate and pushed his hair out of his eyes. He glanced at Obi-Wan who was sitting beside him. His eyes were closed apparently in a meditative state. Anakin looked out the viewport and laid his head on the back of his chair.

The nightmares had gone away on Utapau, and now they were back. It was almost the same as the first of its kind, but this time Padme had died. Her eyes had closed. Her body had gone limp. Anakin clenched his fists in frustration.

He couldn't let it happen, but he didn't have the power to stop it. Only one person did.

Anakin stared out at Coruscant. They were due to enter its orbit any time soon. He had no wish to have anything to do with the dark side, but what was the point of the light if he could not save his love? The Jedi had not offered any method to help him with his dilemma. Anakin had searched the parts of archives that he was permitted to access for an answer.

He glanced back at Obi-Wan, wondering if he should dare ask his master. His eyes were now open, studying the planet before him. His eyebrows furrowed in contemplation. Sensing Anakin's gaze he turned to return it.

"Is there anything you would like to say, my old padawan?"

Anakin shook his head, chickening out of confessing to Obi-Wan once more, "Nothing, Master."

Obi-Wan signed, bringing up his hand and placing it on his shoulder, "We'll be alright, Anakin. _All_ of us." Anakin stiffened at the way he said it, it was as though Obi-Wan suspected. "We have an uncanny ability to turn out being alright." His words could be interpreted in about a thousand ways, but Anakin had a feeling that he was aiming for a very particular one.

"For once in your life, Anakin, listen to me. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Anakin chuckled weakly, "That doesn't give me many options, Obi-Wan."

"It doesn't. Sometimes it is better that way." He looked at Anakin meaningfully. He gave him a small smile before turning back to the viewport. They had entered orbit and begun descent.

As they entered the clouds, the war in Anakin's mind was by no means over. If anything the conflict worsened when he felt coolness wash over him. As though he had been doused in ice-cold water. It made him feel dirty. Unclean. It made him feel powerful and weak at the same time. The feeling was followed by a voice in his mind, soothing and silky.

_Welcome back, young Skywalker._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> damn. A central theme of this story is Anakin's inner conflict between his light and dark sides. In this chapter, he is disoriented and confused. Obi-Wan is unaware of Anakin's nightmares, but he knows he will struggle with the dark side of Coruscant, considering the influence Palpatine possessed over him.
> 
> *: I just borrowed that quote from the Last Jedi because at the very least it is true. Don't worry, I am in no way going in the direction that the sequel trilogy took. I don't necessarily hate them, but I'm exactly happy with them either.


	4. Remnants Of The Republic

"S _o this is how liberty dies - with thunderous applause." - Senator Padme Amidala. Revenge Of The Sith._

Coruscant happened to be undeterred by the obvious changes in the dynamics of the galaxy.

If anything, the Capital was busier than ever. The airways were crowded with speeders and the streets were spilling with species eager to catch the address Palpatine was to offer before the Senate on the large screens around the planet. People were celebrating the end of the Clone Wars, unbothered by what had come at its end. Unaffected by the massacre of those who had led the Republic to victory.

And wasn't that another testament to the fact that the Jedi had outgrown their purpose, to the point where the people they had sworn to serve did not care about their existence?

In the least, the large crowds benefited the three Jedi who strove to remain obscured from the public eye. Anakin and his companions ran the risk of being recognized, the three of them could be considered the most well-known Jedi amongst the populace. Anakin and Obi-Wan had served as poster boys of sorts for the Republican cause during the war. They had been portrayed as a legendary duo - _The Hero With No Fear And The Negotiator_. On the other hand, Yoda's status as Grandmaster had demanded that he serve as a public figure.

The throngs of species allowed them to blend with the rest of the masses. It had not been difficult to commandeer a speeder with the attention of the security forces remaining on keeping order amongst the crowds. The trip to the Senate District had gone on without interruption.

The ease with which their plan was being executed did not fool Anakin one bit. Palpatine knew he was here. Why the Chancellor had not taken measures to take them down, Anakin did not know. Was he unaware of their precise location? Had he laid a trap for them at the Temple? Or was he waiting for Anakin to go to him?

Would Anakin go? He wasn't sure himself.

A battalion of clones greeted them on the steps of the Jedi Temple. It had not been hard to take them down. The trio of them could be considered the best the Order could have offered during the war.

Anakin did not flinch when he struck clone after clone, he looked them in the eyes as he watched the life leave them. When Anakin had faced Cody and 212th, he had accepted their death as a necessity, though he had acknowledged that their loss was regrettable, he had left it at that. But facing his legion of soldiers was another matter altogether. He led these men into battle, worked his best so that as many as possible made it out with their lives. And here he was robbing them of it.

The fact that Palpatine had used the 501st for carrying out the largest part of Order 66 grated on Anakin's nerves. These were _his_ men, and now he was forced to kill them. He wondered if this was Sidious taunting him. He wouldn't put it past the old man.

As Anakin drove his blade into the chest plate of Sergeant Kano's armor, the last of the clones, he couldn't help but feel relieved that Rex was not there. He refused to imagine what it would have been like to strike down his trusted second-in-command. The one person Anakin had trusted with the truth of his secret marriage. He knew it was selfish, but he was glad he did not have to do the final deed. His stomach roiled at the thought it might have fallen upon Ahsoka's shoulders to do so. Ahsoka, who had been betrayed by those close to her more than once before.

He wasn't entirely sure if the clones would turn on her. After all, Ahsoka technically wasn't a Jedi anymore. If they had, Anakin couldn't tell what the outcome would be.

A chill ran down Anakin's spine. Was Ahsoka dead?

Anakin knelt before Kano's body as he deactivated his blade and pressed his hand to the forehead of the trooper's helmet. He could hear Obi-Wan and Yoda extinguishing their lightsabers in the background. Kano had been a loyal soldier, followed orders to the letter, enjoyed being in the thick of the action. Anakin closed his eyes, clenching his fists as he felt a sole tear race down his cheek. He hurried to wipe it away with his human hand.

The rage Anakin had experienced when Obi-Wan had been fired on by Cody seeped into him once more. The dangerous feeling burned within him.

Palpatine had done this.

The Chancellor was behind the death of his men. He had tried to kill Obi-Wan. He had killed Ahsoka. He sought to use Anakin as a puppet to do his bidding. As a _slave_.

And to think Anakin once considered the man a friend.

Anakin's eyes traveled to the Senate building within which he was aware Palpatine was present. Anakin did not believe their venture to the Jedi Temple was all that important. The Senate Building should be their destination. Palpatine should be their objective.

An image of Ahsoka's dead body on Mortis flashed before his eyes, immediately to be succeeded by the supposed dead body of Obi-Wan after he had been shot by Rako Hardeen, which was followed by Padme's limp body from his dreams.

T _he dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural._

Anakin couldn't tell if that was his mind repeating the words Palpatine had cited to him, or if it was the Sith Lord whispering those words in his mind. He could feel tendrils of the dark side urging him towards the Senate Rotunda. Calling to him.

He could hunt Palpatine down, force him to give up his secrets and kill him for his sins.

_Revenge is not the Jedi way._

This time the voice in his head sounded awfully like Obi-Wan. Anakin glanced at his master who was surveying the surroundings of the Temple with Yoda. His attention was far from Anakin at the moment.

He repeated the phrase in his mind like a mantra, but the dark sweet whispers were convincing him to embrace the fire within. Wouldn't he be doing the galaxy a favour by ending Sidious? Putting an end to the Sith? Hadn't that been the destiny Qui-Gon had envisioned for him? Would he not be saving thousands of lives? And ultimately, wasn't that the duty of a Jedi? Surely, Obi-Wan could not argue against that.

_The power to save others._

The image of Padme's exhausted and worn body flashed before him. Could he afford to kill the Chancellor? What if he refused to sacrifice his secrets at first? What if he demanded a sacrifice of his own?

Palpatine was the ultimate objective.

The question though, was it to kill or to join him?

"Move on we must." The ancient voice of the Jedi Grandmaster was carried ominously by the breeze, "Alerted to our presence soon they will be." Anakin stood up from his position beside Kano, sparing one last glance at the Senate Building. He entered the walls of the Jedi Temple. His and Obi-Wan's heavy footsteps, coupled with the rapping of the Yoda's wooden walking stick echoed throughout.

The sight with which they were welcomed was daunting, to say the least.

The once pristine marble floors of the Temple were now littered with the bodies and blood of Jedi and clone troopers. Anakin could feel the pain and the suffering that had transpired between these walls. He could sense the betrayal that the Jedi had been reeling from in their last moments.

It was nauseating. Anakin was no stranger to death, but the sight before him would unsettle almost anyone.

"Not even the younglings survived." Anakin's gaze followed Obi-Wan's. A youngling, indeed, one that could not have been over the age of ten. His small body was strewn with scorch marks, his eyes were open, unseeing. Obi-Wan knelt before him and closed them for him. Anakin pushed the bile that threatened to come out. What threat did a child pose to Palpatine and his regime?

He forced himself to look away and continue down the halls. There was naught that they could do for these people.

 _Except avenging them._ A treacherous voice whispered in his head.

Anakin shook his head, they had to move on. Their mission was to disable the beacon, nothing more. And fast. The Senate session could go on only for so long.

Anakin and Yoda left the task of recalibrating the code and warning any surviving Jedi away from the Coruscant to Obi-Wan. Anakin leaned over the exit, watching out for any intruders. Despite being in the heart of the Jedi Temple, the dark wisps of the Force persisted in lulling Anakin into a trance, attempting to guide in the direction of the Senate Building.

_Only through me can you achieve a power greater than any Jedi._

Anakin kicked himself off the entrance he was leaning on. The voice was, unmistakably, Palpatine's. He dared extend his Force awareness, making sure that no approaching adversaries were heading their way. He tried to build up a wall around his mind, desperately trying to keep Palpatine and his dark whispers out of it. It wasn't working, Anakin knew it wasn't. A part of him welcomed the whispers. The promises of power.

After all, hadn't he always wanted to become the most powerful Jedi to live?

"Skywalker." Anakin felt a gnarled hand on his knee, and he whipped his eyes to its owner. Yoda was regarding him with concern, his green wrinkled face even more creased than usual. He felt the dark aura that had been surrounding him fade away, and he wondered if Yoda had sensed it. If he had been the one to drive its coldness away.

"Are you alright, Anakin?" Obi-Wan too was watching him with concern as he strode towards the pair. He had been doing that a lot since they landed on Coruscant, keeping one eye on Anakin. It annoyed him, but secretly he was glad. At the moment, he found that he couldn't even trust himself.

He nodded, noticed Obi-Wan had completed his task. In an attempt to avoid any further questions he asked, "Now what? We deal with Palpatine?"

To his chagrin, Obi-Wan and Yoda shared a glance before answering Anakin's question.

"To face Palpatine strong enough you are not." The words were like a slap in the face. Did they still not trust him and his skills? Anger welled up inside of him, and the dark wisps took shape once more. Encouraging him to give in to the emotion.

"If I am not, then I doubt anyone here is."

"Perhaps, but face Palpatine I will."

"The three of us against Sidious stand a better chance." Anakin seethed, ignoring Obi-Wan rather unimpressed gaze. According to rumours Mace Windu had not been a match for him. What chance did Yoda alone?

"Risk the future of the Order I can not." Yoda maintained, his voice stern and unyielding.

Anakin laughed, bitter and humourless. Obi-Wan opened his mouth to interrupt, but Anakin cut through. "Order? What Order? Your Order is dead, Master Yoda." Once he would have shrunk under the stern gazes of the two Jedi Masters before him. He motioned around them, "Look around. The Jedi are _dead_."

"Anakin." Obi-Wan moved forward, between him and Yoda, but he refused to relent.

"Your arrogance brought this upon you, you old fool. Don't let the galaxy suffer for it once more."

Yoda circumvented Obi-Wan to come before Anakin, he might have been a small creature, but he was not an opponent to the trifled with. "Live on the Jedi do." His hoarse voice was cold and cutting. "Jedi we are. Jedi we _remain_." Anakin looked away.

He rapt his wooden stick on Anakin's knee, forcing him to meet his gaze once more, "Let _your_ arrogance take control, you can not. Face Palpatine I will."

He continued before Anakin could protest, "Save _your_ Senator, you and Obi-Wan will." Anakin gaped at Yoda's statement. _Your Senator._ They could only mean one person, and that would mean they had known all along. That could only mean one thing. Had Yoda and Obi-Wan simply turned a blind eye? He glanced at the latter, who was observing the exchange from the sidelines. He spotted a hint of a smirk on his former master's face.

Yoda ignored Anakin's obvious shock, "Take her and your child off Coruscant, you must." The way he said it did not hint at the fact that this wasn't supposed to be allowed. He wasn't supposed to have _her_ or a child. But wasn't Yoda right? He had come to Coruscant to rescue Padme from Palpatine. He had been so focused on finding a way to save her from his nightmares that he had forgotten that he had to save her from Palpatine first.

"You and I shall take Padme off-world while Yoda keeps Palpatine occupied." Obi-Wan spoke up for the first time, "The Chancellor can not be allowed to get his hands on you. Or your unborn child." Anakin stared at them. He could see what they were doing, and maybe they were smart for doing so. He wondered if Yoda had figured out the obvious of who his nightmares had been about. Now that his secret was out, did he need Palpatine? Yoda could help, the Jedi Master must have had something under his sleeve that could keep Padme safe.

Even from a strategic point of view, he could see why it was best if Yoda faced Sidious alone. They could not kill their fighting chances with a single blow if it failed. "I..." He didn't know what to say. H wasn't sure if he should acknowledge his violation of the Code. "So be it. I agree."

Yoda nodded his head, and Obi-Wan smiled at him, "Let's get on the move, shall we?"

Obi-Wan exited the room, but Anakin stayed rooted to his place, studying Master Yoda, "Master, I am sorry." Sorry for what? He didn't know. For speaking out of turn? Or for his blatant disrespect of the Jedi Order?

Yoda shook his head, "No, you are not, young Skywalker." And maybe, he wasn't. He had meant everything he had said.

He opened his mouth once more, to plead for help, but Yoda beat him to it. "Your nightmares, nightmares they are, nothing more. Forever in motion, the future is." Anakin clenched his fists in irritation. That was not what he wanted to hear. He did not need to hear this lecture a second time.

Yoda raised a white eyebrow at him, sensing his annoyance. "Be with you I shall when the time comes for your child's birth. Ways to heal with the Force there is.*" And that was what he wanted to hear. The irritation was replaced with relief. He felt the tension leave his body.

"Thank you, Master Yoda." The Grandmaster bowed his head in acknowledgement, and they both exited the room to follow Obi-Wan. Anakin quickened his pace to catch up with his master.

"You knew."

Obi-Wan chuckled, bringing up his hand to hide the smile he was sporting. "You knew I knew, Anakin. You were not the most subtle when it came to the Senator." True, Obi-Wan had hinted of his knowledge on a few occasions, but he had dismissed it, believing Obi-Wan would never place Anakin above the Code. It warmed him that he had.

They stepped out into the open, the cool breeze washing over them. Anakin wondered if the Senate session was finally over, as he stared at the Senate Building. He could sense the darkness, much easier from the outside. He dismissed it. The dark was not the only one who wielded the answers to save his wife. The light side of the Force was all he needed.

The darkness disagreed. _What if it isn't enough?_

Anakin stilled. What if it wasn't enough?


	5. Chaos Continues

_"What if the democracy we thought we were serving no longer exists?" - Senator Padmé Amidala. Revenge Of The Sith._

Senator Padmé Amidala's hands shook as she changed out of the dark garments, that she had worn to the Senate, into another one that lacked the exuberance that she usually adorned. She fastened the black robe over her body and studied herself in the mirror before her.

The dress did little to hide her pregnancy. She was just too far along to hope it would. Unconsciously, Padmé's hand cradled her stomach, her thumb stroking the coarse fabric that covered it. She wondered if the child would be a girl or a boy. Anakin had insisted that it would be little girl, with Padmé's dark hair and his beautiful blue eyes. She, on the other hand, had no reservations about the gender of her baby. Her desires changed with the wind. At times, she wished for a little boy, at other times, she prayed for a little girl.

In the end, all she dreamed was that her baby and her husband to be with her, and to be safe. And wasn't it so rare for her dreams to come true? For all she knew Anakin was dead, having drawn his last breathe far off in the Outer Rims. It took all the willpower she possessed not to collapse into a sobbing mess right there. Frankly, she was surprised that she had any left, having thought she used it all in the Senate Rotunda.

Padmé's gaze slid away from her stomach to meet her own eyes. She was sure if she closed them, she would find herself sitting in the Senate, Bail Organa by her side, listening to Palpatine's grand speech. The words he uttered would likely haunt her forever.

The Jedi were branded traitors, after centuries of service. Palpatine may or may not be a Sith Lord. The _Emperor_ had not deigned to confirm or deny the accusations Master Windu had thrown at him in the recording that was presented before the Senate to prove the 'treason' dealt by the hands of Jedi.

One evening had her entire world crumbling down. According to Bail, the order of extermination had been administered throughout the galaxy. Padmé clung onto the hope that Anakin survived, somehow as he always did. She prayed that he was safe with Obi-Wan by his side. She knew that her husband's master would not let him die on his watch.

Even though Padmé had not lost all hope when it came to her love, the pragmatic Senator that she was, knew that she had to prepare for the eventuality that he had, indeed, died. The very thought broke her heart, but she could not dwell on sentiments at the moment. She had her child to think of. Anakin's child to think of.

Padmé's hand slid into the neck of her gown, pulling out the japor snippet Anakin had gifted her all those years ago. She ran her thumb over the intricate patterns carved on the pendant. He had said the ornament would bring her luck. She was not a superstitious woman, though a part of her did hope he was right. She would need all the luck she could get to face what was coming. With whom was likely coming for her.

She was all too aware that Palpatine viewed her as a threat - politically and otherwise.

She had been the one to lead the Delegation of 2000. She had, on many occasions, blocked Palpatine's radical motions in the Senate. She was under the impression that he knew who the father of her child was too. That itself made Padmé's stomach curdle with fear.

Disregarding the fact that Anakin was a Jedi, their child was likely to inherit his innate ability in the Force. She would die before Palpatine touched her child - Sith Lord or no Sith Lord. She would not let the vile monster sink his claws into the innocent baby as he had tried with Anakin. She was disgusted with how she had not seen it before.

She tucked the pendant back into her robe when she heard a knock on her doors. Through the mirror, she watched Sabé enter, dressed in the silks that were usually worn by Senator Amidala. Tonight, Sabé would play the part of the Nubian Senator, with the dark green gown and the hood drawn over her head.

"Has Captain Typho left?"

Sabé shook her head as Padmé moved towards her bed, grabbing the pistol that laid on it. "No, milady. He would like a word before he goes."

Padmé nodded absently as she shoved the pistol into the stuffy sleeves of her gown, careful to make it easily accessible. She wondered what Captain Typho had left to say. They had gone over the plan relentlessly after the Senate session. Had security measures around her apartments increased? The ones that Palpatine had already put in place had not been exactly subtle. She supposed he did not need to bother to be anymore. Shortly after she had returned, clones had been stationed at the entrance of her dwellings. If Typho was to be believed, communications were being monitored, and clones had been stationed on neighbouring buildings as well.

Sabé stepped in front of her, taking hold of her arm, and straightening out her sleeves in a better attempt to hide the weapon. Padmé noticed that Sabé had somehow managed to replicate her pregnant stomach. She smiled in thanks at her handmaiden as she stepped back, pulling her hood overhead. Careful to keep as much of her face covered as possible.

She glanced at the vanity one last time, taking in her appearance. She was prepared. "Let's not keep the Captain waiting."

Padmé waited for Sabé to take the lead, she followed a step behind as they left her bedroom. Captain Typho stood within the living room, conversing with men from her Naboo guard. Upon noticing their presence he dismissed them and turned to approach Padmé and Sabé.

"Milady." He bowed to Sabé, keeping his eye trained on the handmaiden in disguise. He was aware of the switch, but even in the privacy of her apartment, appearances were maintained.

"Captain." Sabé acknowledged, her head held high. Her demeanour regal and commanding. "Have all preparations been made?"

Typho nodded, "Yes, milady. Everything is in place." Though he had swept the chamber for listening devices, he kept his voice hushed. "My men will create a distraction, and escort milady out." And smuggle Padmé to her ship amidst the chaos. It was only if they were lucky would Sabé escape with her. She had raged for hours when Typho had proposed the plan. She could not risk her people like that. Not for her life. But Typho and Sabé had remained adamant that it was the only way to keep her safe. To keep her unborn child safe. They insisted that it was their job. Their duty.

It was when they brought up the danger her child was in that she had conceded.

Typho was to discreetly take half of her guard to her ship, the ones who were supposedly off-duty, clear a way and prepare it for take-off. Padmé's Naboo guard did not consist of many men, and they were forced to make the most of what they had.

"Then I suppose this is it, Captain," Sabé said, her tone echoed the sorrow that Padmé felt so intensely. Typho could very well not survive this harebrained attempt at escape. All of them could find themselves dead or captured if they did not succeed.

And it would be all for her.

"Yes, milady." This time his eye did slide towards Padmé. She met it, trying to convey all her gratitude. Her apologies for putting him in this position.

Padmé opened her mouth, searching for words that very well may be her last to her old friend. She found none, except, "May the Force be with you, Captain."

He returned it with a small smile, his eye that was not covered with a patch, conveying its own message. There was acceptance and no resentment for what may come. She saw something else too. Something she could not name. "And with you, milady."

He shared a curt nod with Sabé before he turned away, leaving the room. Padmé felt her chest tighten. The fighting had not begun, but the battle just did.

* * *

There was not much that could be done 'til Captian Typho sent his signal. They took to waiting in Padmé 's living room, Sabé sitting by her side in companionable silence. Awake and alert. It was something that she loved about her trusted handmaiden - she did not feel the need to fill the void of noise. She made no false promises that Anakin would be alright. That they would be alright. Sabé knew better than that.

Padmé tried to avoid thinking about anything that had to do with her husband, that train of thought would only make her a mess. Instead, she tried to pay attention to her surroundings. Aware of the speeders that zoomed past her apartments. The little noises - the wheezing sound of Threepio's joints when he moved a limb or his worried mutterings as he waited with the pair. That of the movements of the clone troopers mixed with that of her own guards outside her doors. She watched as the Sun went down, and as the yellow lights began to litter the city.

Padmé did not know how much time had passed since Captain Typho had left when they heard the sound of an explosion at the entrance. It was followed shortly by the deafening sound of blaster-fire and shouts of surprise. She and Sabé shot up from their positions. She checked her comlink to find that the Captain had not sent the signal that they had agreed upon.

"Oh my. They're here." Threepio exclaimed in horror.

Padmé 's blood chilled. Had Palpatine figured out her plan and sent his men after her?

They backed away from the doors, retrieving their blasters from under their layers of fabric. Padmé took cover behind one of her sofas, dragging Threepio down with her, while Sabé did so behind the other. She had to swallow down the extreme discomfort that came with crouching down in her condition as she listened to the ruckus outside.

She peeked at Sabé over the expensive piece of furniture. She watched as she grabbed a grenade from Padmé's secret stash of weaponry in her sofa side table. They caught each other's eyes, nodding at each other as an eerie silence prevailed for a long moment.

The quiet didn't last.

The entrance flew open, the doors flying off their hinges, colliding with the other side of the room. Sabé pulled the trigger of the grenade, launching it at the intruder. Padmé braced herself as the floor shook from the explosion. She peered from her position, firing shots into the smoke, ignoring Threepio's panicking, with Sabé following her example.

A single dark figure leapt out the destruction, darting out of the way of their insistent blaster-fire. Padmé could not make out of the face of the person as he tumbled out of the way of yet another one of Sabé 's grenades. They took cover as it exploded. The moment the smoke dissipated, they moved to open fire once more, but their blasters flew out their hands and into that of the intruder.

"We're doomed." Threepio moaned as he regarded their situation. Padmé forced him to stay down as she peered over the sofa again. Her eyes scanned the area, finally falling on the intruder, who was crouching on the floor. Their eyes met, and she felt herself freeze.

"Anakin."


	6. A Brush With Another Fate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look who is back! MOI!! So much for my 'updating once a week' schedule! I was hoping I'd be more faithful to it. Let's see if I'll get it on my second try.

_"Fear is the path of the dark side." - Jedi Grandmaster Yoda. The Phantom Menace._

Sometimes Anakin forgot - or rather decided not to acknowledge - the fact that the people he loved did not always need his protection. May they be Jedi or soldiers, he felt the compulsive need to make sure that the enemy was aiming at him, and not them. He couldn't help it, despite, the Council's insistent efforts. 

So was there any surprise that he experienced that compulsion ten-fold when it came to his wife who did not frequent the battlefield? Times like these reminded him that perhaps he did go a little overboard when it came to Padmé's well-being. She had spent the last few moments trying to blow his brains out, although she had not known that he was the one to launch himself into her living room, amidst the gunfire and explosions. 

Presently, the beautiful Naboo Senator was peering over her wrecked sofa, her eyes widening at the sight before her. Anakin felt something ease within as their eyes met. She appeared unharmed, dressed in what he knew to be her handmaidens' disguise. That explained the second presence in the room, Sabé, he discerned from the Force signature. He slowly rose from his position on the floor as he dropped the blasters in his hands, a smile working its way on to his face. 

Behind him, Sabé gasped. He watched as a look of relief flooded Padmé's face as she took in his uninjured state. She came out from her spot behind her sofa, Threepio in tow.

"Master Ani." Threepio exclaimed, "You're alive."

Anakin smiled fondly at the protocol droid he had built all those years ago. He reached out for Padmé, draping an arm around her. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, "Are you and the baby alright?"

His wife peeked up at him and nodded. "And are you?" Anakin tucked a stray strand of hair behind Padmé's ear as he nodded, smiling softly. For a moment, all was right in the world. He heard a cough from behind him, and he turned to find Sabé regarding the two of them incredulously.

"Reinforcements will be here any moment now, milady."

She was right, of course. Anakin could sense troopers making their way to the 500 Republica. He let go of his wife, and took out his comlink, clicking it twice.

"I'm touched that you are glad that I am alive, Sabé." He rushed towards Padmé's weapon stash and started rummaging it for explosives, but not before catching his wife's handmaiden roll her eyes. He suppressed a snicker, he enjoyed getting on her nerves. After finding what he needed, he turned back to the women.

"We don't have much time." He felt something twist inside of him as he watched Padmé wince in pain as she picked up her blaster, "Padmé, you and Threepio wait at the landing platform." She bit her lip, obviously displeased at having to leave the work to Sabé and Anakin, but she knew when not to argue. He tossed an explosive at Sabé, "Help me set these up at the entrance."

They didn't wait to get to work, Anakin could sense the troopers climbing the stairs as he had the foresight to disable and destroy the elevator. Threepio and Padmé were waiting for them by the time they joined them. He gave his comlink another click.

"Captain Typho reported that he had sighted snipers on neighbouring buildings. Guns trained on the platform." Padmé informed him, pointing to the roof of a couple of skyscrapers. Anakin could sense beings on them - alert and lethal. He felt his comlink click in his pocket, and he unclipped his lightsaber from his belt.

"Here's the plan." He said, a tad louder than necessary. His stomach was twisting with something that, if he was honest with himself, was fear. Their lives depended on them getting out of this alive - Padmé's life depended on it. It was not often he doubted his own plans, but he couldn't help but. 

_We need not be adversaries._

Anakin let out a shaky breath. He wondered if Coruscant had always reeked of the dark side. He wasn't sure if the voices in his head were even Palpatine's or if a sinister part of him was simply gaining a voice of its own. He tightened his grip on his lightsaber, cursing his sweaty palms. He desperately dispelled all dark thoughts as he could distantly hear the footsteps of the approaching clone troopers.

"We walk in single file." He continued, hoping that his voice wasn't shaking, "We're keeping up pretenses." He felt a trooper step into the living room, and the ground shook as the explosives that he and Sabé set up blew up. He could sense and hear cries of pain and surprise. 

"Sabé behind me. Padmé follows and then Threepio." He lit his blade, and stepped out into the open. He was bombarded with sniper fire instantly. He immersed himself in the Force, letting its fluidity guide him into deflecting the fire. Padmé and Sabé were busy taking care of the clones that made their way past the explosives inside. By the time, they were at the edge of the platform, Anakin was wondering, what in Sith hells was taking Obi-Wan so long.

_You need not make it this difficult, my boy. Save her._

He took out another sniper by pulling him off the ledge using the Force and began to hear sirens from afar, he knew that the Coruscanti Security Force would be soon joining them. Luckily, Obi-Wan decided to do so too. His former master, in his stolen purple speeder, stopped before the platform, igniting his own lightsaber.

"Get in." He shouted as he deflected the blaster-fire that was being aimed at him. Anakin stepped aside, and letting Padmé, Sabé and Threepio go in first. He covered their rear, while Obi-Wan covered the front. Once Padmé and Sabé were safely inside, Anakin Force pushed Threepio to join them and leaped into it himself.

"GO!" He shouted, continuing to keep the blaster-fire from hitting them. He felt the speeder start with a jolt. He could hear Padmé and Sabé greeting Obi-Wan rather cheerfully for the situation they were in. It wasn't like Anakin was seconds away from having a heart attack as he realized three speeders came up behind them. The speeders started firing at them insistently, to rate at which Anakin was finding it difficult to keep up with.

Much to his chagrin, Padmé and Sabé decided to aid him. "Now would be a good time to start spinning, Obi-Wan!" 

"Spinning is not a good trick," Obi-Wan shouted over the noise, but he did make a sharp turn onto the upper traffic lane. Not that it stopped the enemy from following them up. Anakin felt the speeder shake as a blaster-bolt hit the rear of the speeder. He heard Obi-Wan curse in what Anakin believed to Mandolorian, and he followed his lead in Huttese once he caught sight of the smoke that was coming out from the back of the speeder.

"We're not going down!" Obi-Wan tried to reassure them. Anakin knew better, they would eventually, though, by his calculations they weren't far from his wife's ship. Aware of their advantage, their followers began shooting at them with a renewed vigour. He was caught between deflecting the incoming fire and keeping one eye on Padmé, who was aiming for the engines of one of the speeders.

Unsurprisingly, she didn't miss it. One of them went crashing down as its engine took a hit. Though, the split second of which Padmé was left exposed was enough for a blaster-bolt to hit her shoulder. He heard her shriek in pain, and Anakin pulled his eyes away from the enemy to find a hole burned into her dress, he could smell the burnt flesh. Padmé was trying not to writhe in pain, while Sabé was trying to get a look.

"I'm fine," the pained and heavy breathing that accompanied the statement, contradicted it, "I'm fine."

"It's not too deep." He heard Sabé's panicked reassurances, "Though, she needs medical attention as soon as possible." The handmaiden's platitudes did not ease the feeling of dread that started to coil within him. He could feel a dragon, one that he had always forced to stay in the deepest recesses of his mind, slowly awake from its slumber. He hadn't realized he was staring at Padmé's wound until he found Obi-Wan joining them in the back, one hand somehow on the steering.

"You're driving," Obi-Wan informed him. Anakin stood there, he couldn't. He had to take down those speeders that dared harm his love. He had to heal and protect his wife.

"Anakin!"Obi-Wan was now shouting, "GO!" He felt anger well up in him as Obi-Wan tried to order him around. He obeyed for the sole reason that the speeder was starting to go down. He hopped into the pilot's seat and began desperately steering them towards the platform. Obi-Wan took his place in defending them as Sabé tried to do something about Padmé's injury. He heard her moan in pain amidst Threepio's panicking, and he found himself inside the nightmare that he had been seeing for weeks now.

_You need me, Anakin._

What if the injury caused more complications to her conditions than there already were? What if Yoda wasn't enough? What if Yoda didn't even survive his encounter with Palpatine? Anakin could feel the dark side offering its answer. It was the only answer. He caught sight of the Padmé's sleek silver Nubian ship, and he readied themselves for descent when they were hit once more. 

"We're going down!" He got up from his seat, and quickly scooped Padmé into his arms. Obi-Wan grabbed hold of Threepio in one hand, and Sabé, in the other. Captain Typho, who they had coordinated with, along with his men moved out of the way. As the speeder hit the platform and erupted into a ball of fire, Anakin and the rest leapt out.

"We'll hold them off." Captain Typho said as the enemy began to land on the platform. Padmé wriggled out of his grasp and shook her head in disagreement, wincing from the pain in the process, "You must come with us, Captain."

"I'm afraid I can not, Senator." Typho took out his blaster and joined his men in firing at the clone troopers that had arrived. Anakin stared at him for a moment, and then at his wife. She was breathing heavily, and clearly finding it hard to keep herself standing.

_Only through me can you save her, my boy._

The dragon hummed in agreement, begging to be let out and protect and preserve his love. He stared at the burn as Artoo lowered the ramp to the ship. Anakin forgot to breathe as watched Padmé limp onto it with Sabé's help. He didn't have a choice, did he? What if the Jedi couldn't save her? What if he failed her like he did, his mother? Just because he refused to widen his horizons? In most folktales, the dragon was the most powerful of creatures, and Anakin needed power. He could feel the dragon inside of him slowly unfurl its wings, readying itself for flight - freedom. 

"Anakin." Obi-Wan's voice seemed uncertain. He looked up to meet his master's gaze and whatever the latter saw made him take a step back. "Anakin, we have to leave." 

The words were cautious, Obi-Wan was rarely so when it came to him. Anakin could feel the wisps of darkness calling him home - and it had been so so long since he had truly been home. He shook his head in disagreement, "We can't leave." He felt the numbers of the Naboo forces wane, but he didn't care. He basked in the pain that they felt as the life in them diminished.

"Anakin-"

"We're not leaving." He did not look away from Obi-Wan's horrified expression. He ignited his blade with a snap- _hiss_ and stood before the ramp, blocking the Jedi Master's path.

_Good. Good._

Anakin wondered why he had denied the whispers for so long, for they felt so good. The dragon within, purred with satisfaction. 

"Don't do this."Obi-Wan was brushing his thumb over the ignition button on his own blade, ready to fight his way onboard and take them off-world. Away from Palpatine.

_I need him._

"You don't understand, Obi-Wan," His words were a void of emotion or feeling, only truth. "There is no other way."

To his disappointment and sick sort of glee, Obi-Wan did not want to understand. Instead, he finally ignited his lightsaber. The Jedi was running out of time as the troopers were closing in. His face was contorted in pain and grief as he brought his lightsaber up, ready to strike. Anakin followed his move, ready to block and aim for the heart of his old friend. 

Obi-Wan froze in mid-movement, his eyes straying to a point over his shoulder. He felt his stomach twist in anticipation. Before Anakin could take a look himself, he felt something hit in the back. Twice. He swayed where he stood, his vision blurring. He staggered backwards and whipped his eyes towards the top of the ramp.

Padmé stood there, blaster in hand. Her chest was heaving as she leaned on the entrance to her ship, her face contorted in pain from the exertion. Her blaster was still pointed at him.

That was when Anakin realized that she had been the one to shoot him. His wife shot him when he was so close to attaining the power to save her. His legs crumpled underneath him, and he dropped his blade as he lost the feeling in his limbs. He felt someone gather him in their arms, and haul him onto their shoulder. He stared at the darkening sky as he was carried up the ramp. He tried to resist, to stop them from making this mistake. The dragon was roaring with fury within, trying to break out of its shackles - to no avail.

_I've failed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter had been a little hard to write. So tell me, how it was. SUBSCRIBE AND REVIEW!

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: WILL BE UPDATED WEEKLY. SUBSCRIBE FOR ALERTS. FEEL FREE TO LEAVE A REVIEW! Follow me on Tumblr @crispmarshmallow


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